Corsair K100 RGB Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (CORSAIR OPX Keyswitches: Hyper-fast & Linear, Leatherette Palm Rest, PBT Double-Shot Keycaps, Elgato Stream Deck Integration) QWERTY, Black

Product Information

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Bluetooth is best left for typing and slow-paced games. It doesn’t benefit from any kind of speed boost the way Slipstream does, which means you’ll be limited to the standard 125Hz, or 8ms, polling rate. That didn’t make much of a difference when I played slower games like World of Warcraft, but you can feel it when raising your weapon and firing in Battlefield 2042. You can use iCUE to customize the lighting of your keyboard and create macros that can be assigned to your six dedicated macro keys. You can also configure the various modes for your iCUE control wheel, as well as create your own custom modes. The zero debounce of the OPX switches is undeniably advantageous, allowing for lightning-fast keypresses to register seamlessly and without errors. However, the shortened actuation distance doesn’t necessarily confer a competitive edge for players like me who don’t possess the lightning-fast reflexes and intense focus often seen in esports professionals. While it might indeed provide an edge for those players, it remains debatable whether the shorter actuation distance of OPX switches grants an advantage to someone like me, a relative novice. Nevertheless, the incorporation of PBT keycaps notably enhances the overall tactile experience of the switches and keys. Their proprietary software, iCue, empowers you to remap all of these controls, offering the ability to assign volume adjustment scrolling to the wheel in both upward and downward directions. While the Platinum XT and K95 Platinum both incorporated the standard array of functions, encompassing macro and media keys as well as USB passthrough, there’s an addition that sets the K100 apart. A distinctive feature is a metallic knob protruding to the left of the top bar, positioned between the Esc and F1 buttons—an innovation previously unseen in Corsair’s lineup. iCUE Control Wheel Corsair K100 RGB – iCUE Control Wheel The difference between the K100 and conventional mechanical hardware is more pronounced, even if the gap between the Corsair and normal mechanical keyboards isn’t huge. If speed isn’t a priority, you want to save cash, or you prefer a heavier, more tactile typing experience, then a normal mechanical keyboard remains a superb option for gaming. Should you buy it?All in all, the Keychron K3's compact size, excellent switches and overall aesthetic makes it one of our favourite keyboards for gaming or typing. This keyboard is also uniquely in-demand here at Digital Foundry's Bristol office, and disappearing on many occasions because someone fancied using it for work. If that's not a tacit recommendation, I don't know what is! As anticipated, the media controls occupy their designated space, situated at the upper-right corner just above the number pad. These controls encompass play, stop, skip, rewind, and mute buttons, accompanied by a generously sized metal volume roller. The redesigned volume wheel stands out as a marked improvement over previous iterations featured in Corsair’s gaming keyboards. Frequently, manufacturers impose limitations on customizing these controls, particularly when they are in the form of buttons rather than conventional keys. In this aspect, Corsair deviates from the norm by providing you with full control.

The Corsair K100 Air Wireless uses Cherry’s latest and greatest low profile switches: Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile (ULP) Tactiles. It’s a mouthful but a descriptive one, because these switches are fantastic if you’re looking for an incredibly thin keyboard that also delivers a satisfyingly tactile yet fast and familiar mechanical switch feel. Overall, it's easier to list off what the Corsair K100 can't do than what it can do. If you have the desk space for a full-size-and-then-some keyboard and you'll actually use its many many features, then the K100 is worth every penny of its premium asking price. I would offer one potential caveat about the extra keys, however. While I appreciate that Corsair offered a few programmable keys, I don’t see the utility of putting them near the numpad. They’re not easily accessible during gameplay, so I never found much use for them. Perhaps they’re better suited to productivity purposes, but I wouldn’t count on putting any useful macros or shortcuts there. Corsair K100 Air Wireless review: Verdict None of the K100’s new features are truly must-haves. There are plenty of very good (and good-looking) gaming keyboards that cost much less, while delivering similar gaming performance.In terms of extra features, this tenkeyless keyboard has a rare volume wheel in the upper right and a button that's set to play/pause by default. This can be customised in the SteelSeries GG software, which also allows different lighting modes and key assignments.